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(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

. J. MATZINGER RAILROAD STATION INDICATOR.

Patented Mar. 17,1885.

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2 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. MATZINGER.

RAILROAD STATIQN INDICATOR.

Patented Map. 17, 1885.

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I UNITED STATES JOHN MATZINGER,

PATENT OFFICE.

oF NEw. YORK, AssIeNoH or ONE-HALETO JOHN H. MITCHELL, onBHooKLYN, N. Y.

RAILROAD-STATION VI'NDICATO' R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,037, dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed JuneiQO, 1884. (No modeLl To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN MATZINGER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Station Indicators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanyingand forming a part of the same.

My invention consists in a device for use with railroad or street cars for indicating the streets or stations which the car is approaching, or for other and similar purposes. Devices of this nature have heretofore been proposed; but so far as my information extends they have failed to accomplish the objects for which they were designed, principallyon account of certain defects in the plan of construction.

With the indicatorsthat have been used heretofore a bar or a cord and. lever or other connection has been combined to which a movement is imparted at the proper time by the movement of the car past a stationary lug or projection in the path of the bar or 1ever or some appendage thereto, and the impulse thus imparted to the same has been utilized directly for moving the indicator. This plan, however, has not proved sufficiently reliable to warrant its general adoption in practice, the main objection to it being that a rap1d motion of the car is apt to disarrange the indicating mechanism or to cause failure in imparting to it the proper movement. To remedy this is the main object of my inven tion. Iaccomplish this by using an indicator the changes or movements of which are produced by the recoil of springs, and I employ the usual connecting-rod or its equivalent to wind up or compress said springs, as willbe hereinafter described. The movements of the indicator being in this manner not directly but indirectly governed by the impulse or movement imparted to the connecting device by its contact with a stationary projection or lug are much more certain, and follow with equal certainty a slow or rapid movement of the rod.

The essential features of this invention may be better explained by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the indicator in its case. Fig. 2 is a plan view exhibiting the working parts of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on line 1; v of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 10 20; Fig. 5, a section on line x w,- Fig. 6, a section on line 3 31 Fig. 7, a section on line 2 z. Fig. 8 is an interior View of a car, showing the method of applying and using the invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I will first describe the indicator mechanism, which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7. The working parts are suitably supported and arranged within a box or case, in the walls of which are apertures through which portions of the rollers or bands may be seen.

A B O D are four rollers mounted lengthwise in the box, and E F are bands that are wound upon rollers A B and C D, respectively, in the manner shown in Fig. 6. In one of each pair of rollers is a spiral spring, a a, or its well-known equivalent, to keep the bands smooth or tight in case of any play or lost motion. At the forward end of each roller, and fixed to the shaft of the same, is a cogwheel, b. All of these mesh with a cog-wheel, c, fixed to an axle, A, mounted between the rollers, so that if the axle or shaft A be revolved its motionis imparted to the rollers. and the bands are unwound from one and wound on the other of each pair.

B is a sprocket-wheel fixed to the end of shaft A. On opposite sides of this wheel are set pulley-wheels C D, each containing a clockspring, E. These pulleys are secured to ratchet-wheels F, and carry around with them the cog-wheels H H by the spring-locked pawls c c, after the manner of an ordinary clockspring barrel and train. Pinion-shafts d mesh with the wheels H H, and in turn gear with the spindles of the fans or flutter-wheels e e.

Projecting from flattened portions of the peripheries of pulleys O and D, respectively, are pins ll, upon which pawls K and L are pivoted to vibrate in planes parallel with the diameters of the pulleys. Each pulley has an l arm, Z, projecting radially'from its outer face into the path of the swinging pawl, so that when said pawl has one end projecting into the path of the teeth or spokes of wheel B its other end will lie against the said arm Z, and the pawl can then only move in such a direction as to swing said end away from said The pulleys being on opposite sides of this wheel, it follows that pawl K will pass by the teeth of wheel B when the pulley C is turned in one direction, but will engage one of the spokes and move the wheel B when G is turned in an opposite direction, and that the converse effect is produced by the turning of pulley D.

At the rear end of the box is a star-wheel, M, on the shaft A, the spokes being equal in number to those of wheel B; but it is fixed to the shaft in such position that its spokes occur midway between those of wheel B.

In guides f is arranged a sliding rod, 9, carrying a block or plate, 9, that is forced down upon the teeth or spokes of wheel M, the effect of which is to always bring the wheel into the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7 when not actuated by the engagement of either of the pawls K Lwith wheel B.

Cords N O are attached to the spring barrels or pulleys O D, and run out through the box over suitable pulleys. These cords are so connected and wound on the pulleys 0 D that when either one is pulled out from the box it winds up the spring in its pulley, but does not turn the cog-wheel H. On being released, however, the spring turns the pulley back and winds up the cord, this movement being retarded by the cog-wheels Hand train to the flutter-wheels. The act of pulling out one of the cords carries one of the hinged pawls, as K, past one of the spokes of wheel B which is held by the spring-rod 9, plate 9, and wheel M in the position as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Then when, the cord is released the hinged pawl returns, engages the wheel B, and turns it one step. The movement of the pulley is limited by the engagement of the flutter-wheel with the hinged pawl, or with any other projecting part or piece carried by the pulley. On the bands EF are painted or printed the names of the stations or streets, so that if after passing one station the proper cord be drawn out the requisite movement is imparted to the bands to bring the name of the next station into View. In applying this to cars I carry the cords N 0 over two or more pulleys to the bottom of the car, where is a bar or a forked lever, P, to the ends of which the cords are connected. The bar or lever P is secured to a rod, T, passing down through the flooring and supported in any proper manner.

R is an arm secured to and extending at right angles from the rod T. In the path of this arm, at every point along the road where it is desired to change the names displayed by the indicator, is set a pin, lug, or equivalent obstruction, S. The arm striking against this turns the rod T. This draws out one or the other of the cords N 0, according to the direction in which--the car is moving, turns one of the pulleys O D, and brings it into a position in recoiling from which, after the arm R has slipped beyond the obstruction S, it turns the shaft A and the indicating-bands one step.

The manner in which the names of stations are applied to the bands is well understood, as is also the principle of operation by which the bands are turned in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which the car travels. By the intermediate spring-barrels, however, great advantages are secured. The movement of the barrels is at the same speed, whatever maybe the speed at which the car is running. No injury can happen to the indicator by a too sudden turning of the rod T and pulling of the cords, since nothing opposes the movement of these parts but the springs in the pulleys, that are not affected by being suddenly wound up.

I have now described a practicable and efficient means for carrying out my invention; but though I claim the special construction of the parts shown as being the best of which I am at present aware, I do not limit myself to them alone. From the description of the invention which I have given it follows that many modified forms of mechanism may be employed which accomplish the same result, and which are within the scope of my inven tion.

What I therefore claim is-- 1. In a station-indicator, the combination ofthe two sets of indicating devices with the reaction-springs arranged to operate the same and a lever and intermediate devices arranged to put the springs respectively under temporary tension when said lever is tripped by posts or suitable obstructions in its path, the tripping of the lever in one direction straining one spring, while an opposite tripping strains the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,- with pins or similar obstructions at given points along a line of rails, of a lever on a car, adapted to be moved on encountering the pins, two spring-barrels arranged to be respectively wound up by opposite movements of the lever, and two station-indicating mechanisms arranged to be operated by the recoil of the respective springbarrels, essentially as set forth.

3. The combination, with two indicatingbands and their rollers, and a shaft for imparting motion thereto, of the sprocket-wheel mounted on said shaft, two spring-pulleys, hinged pawls carried by said pulleys and arranged to engage the teeth of the sprocketwheel in opposite directions, respectively, and a lever and suitable connections for-putting the springs of said pulleys under tension, respectively, by movements in opposite directions, substantially as described.

IOU

4. The combination of the four rollers and the spring-rod carrying-the plate arranged to 10 the bands E F, the shaft A, sprocket-wheel bear upon said star-wheel, and mechanism for B, spring-pulleys O D, carrying hinged pawls turning shaft A alternately in opposite direcfor engaging with the teeth of the sprockettions, substantially as described.

5 wheel, cords N O, lever P, rod T, arms R, and

pins S, all arranged and operating as described. JOHN MATZIN GER.

5. The combination, with the rollers and in- Witnesses: dicating-bands, of the shaft A, geared with PARKER W. PAGE,

said rollers and carrying the starebrake-wheel, W. FRISBY. 

